Comments on: NBC News: situation in Iraq is ‘civil war’

By: Rocker

Rocker — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:43:56 +0000

I’d like to know what the definition of civil war is. Certainly, it’s not of the scale of our own Civil War. Spain? Well, the army was one side there (after deposing an elected government) and the population was wholly engaged (as was the case in the U.S.)whereas in Iraq it’s hard not to feel that most of the population is held hostage in this whole situation, as opposed to willing partisans. Still, it’s probably not an “off the deep end” conclusion for NBC News to reach. Maybe “religious war” would be more accurate.

But I do think it is as much a marketing decision as an editorial one…NBC is looking to make it’s mark on the history of this whole sorry mess, which makes me a little queasy.

By: discreet_chaos

discreet_chaos — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:35:34 +0000

I declared it as such, way back on 1/27. Though, I did qualify it as being “based on ethnicity, jealousy and frustration”, but do I or any other segment of the blogosphere get any kudos or does it only count, when MSM is dragged kicking and screaming to the same conclusions?

By: flotsam

flotsam — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:16:03 +0000

Here’s how nbc news got “there” courtesy of tvnewser:

“Civil War:” NBC Decided “Over The Weekend?”

NBC News “reached out to a variety of experts, including military experts, historians and people on the ground in Iraq, and they unanimously agreed it was an appropriate label,” spokesperson Allison Gollust tells Variety.

On the Daily Nightly, Brian Williams said the decision came after “much consultation over the weekend with our colleagues, fellow journalists, historians, analysts and members of the military, both present and former.”

By: thebaghdadchannel

thebaghdadchannel — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:56:05 +0000

depends on what your definition of *is* is.

By: Corey Spring

Corey Spring — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:21:24 +0000

I liked Michael Ware of CNN’s take on it: “Anyone who still remains in doubt on whether this is civil war or not is suffering from the luxury of distance.”

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:09:00 +0000

Gee does this make Matt Lauer the Walter Cronkite of our generation?

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:05:16 +0000

I wonder how long NBC deliberated about this

By: thecivilwarchannel

thecivilwarchannel — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:58:07 +0000

If we’ve lost Matt Lauer, we’ve lost the country.